Walton, Hermes, Gray named best in SBC

Behind league championship winning seasons, three area baseball players were awarded top honors in the Sandusky Bay Conference on Tuesday. Perkins senior Talon Walton was named Most Outstanding Performer in the Lake Division while Edison junior Eli Hermes and Margaretta junior Zach Gray were announced as co-MOPs in the Bay Division. Walton is hitting .426 with a team-high 28 runs batted in, 27 runs scored and 26 hits this season for the state-ranked Pirates (17-5-1). Walton has three doubles, three triples and two home runs. On the mound, Walton has a 4-1 record with a 1.50 earned run average across 23 1/3 innings. He has struck out 33 while giving up just five runs. Hermes has been a force on the mound for the state-ranked Chargers (16-5). He has a 5-1 record with a 0.95 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. At the plate, Hermes is hitting .306 with four home runs and 18 RBI. Gray has been solid for the Polar Bears (18-5), who won a share of their first league title since 1993. Gray is hitting .441 from the leadoff position, racking up 26 hits. He has five triples and four doubles while scoring a team-high 20 runs. On the mound, Gray is 3-1, tallying 57 strikeouts in 39 innings. He has a 0.36 ERA. Other area first-team Lake picks were Perkins' Kash Koch, Carter Koch and Sam Schweinfurth; Bellevue's Blake Sutherland, Ike Brown and Sam Bollinger; Norwalk's Noah Helton, Landon Ferkel and Wesley Shupe; and Clyde's Drake Yohe. Other area first-team Bay picks were Margaretta's Mason Kromer, Hunter Grahl and Bren Smith; Edison's Tristian Wetherill, Chaz Smith, Bryson Wittmer and Cole Leimeister; Huron's Landon Hohler and Grant Periat; and Vermilion's Trey Colahan. In the River Division, St. Mary Central Catholic (15-7) was represented on the first team by Blake Finneran and Cayden Wikel. Finneran is hitting .333 with 26 hits, 23 hits and 21 runs scored while Wikel has a .377 batting average with 23 hits, 22 runs and 18 RBI. Wikel is 4-1 on the mound with 42 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. Danbury's lone first-team pick was Logan Shepherd. He is batting .351 with 27 hits, 22 runs and 16 RBI for the Lakers (11-11). ALL-SBC BASEBALL Lake Division Most Outstanding Performer: Talon Walton, Perkins FIRST TEAM Pitchers: Kash Koch, Perkins; Blake Sutherland, Bellevue Catcher: Carter Koch, Perkins Infielders: Ike Brown, Bellevue; Talon Walton, Perkins; Sam Schweinfurth, Perkins; Noah Helton, Norwalk; Landon Ferkel, Norwalk Outfielders: Wesley Shupe, Norwalk; Drake Yohe, Clyde; Sam Bollinger, Bellevue, Johnny Bremyer, Columbian SECOND TEAM Pitchers: Cooper Winke, Bellevue; Carter Harp, Norwalk Infielders: Caden Lindsey, Bellevue; Deyker Inciarte, Sandusky; Colt Flores, Clyde; Blake Parker, Perkins Outfielders: Bryce Davie, Perkins; Grant Parker, Perkins; Jaxson Little, Columbian HONORABLE MENTION Pitcher: Josh Cummings, Perkins Catcher: Caiden Wilson, Norwalk Infielders: Grant Musser, Bellevue; Jonathan Lantz, Clyde Outfielder: Mason Flewelling, Clyde BAY DIVISION Most Outstanding Performers: Eli Hermes, Edison; Zach Gray, Margaretta FIRST TEAM Pitchers: Eli Hermes, Edison; Mason Kromer, Margaretta Catcher: Tristian Wetherill, Edison Infielders: Landon Hohler, Huron; Chaz Smith, Edison; Hunter Grahl, Margaretta; Grant Periat, Huron; Trey Colahan, Vermilion Outfielders: Zach Gray, Margaretta; Bryson Wittmer, Edison; Cole Leimeister, Edison; Bren Smith, Margaretta SECOND TEAM Pitchers: Adam Gerber, Vermilion; Grant Humphrey, Huron Catcher: Memphis McKenzie, Margaretta Infielders: Emmett Leibengood, Margaretta; Sam Cox, Huron; Noah Penton, Vermilion; Adler Ames, Willard Outfielders: Austin Sas, Huron; Owen Price, Edison; Danny Baker, Port Clinton HONORABLE MENTION Pitchers: Brody Morrow, Vermilion; Kaleb Weaver, Willard Catcher: John Huston, Willard Infielders: Brody McFadden, Edison; Robbie LaCourse, Margaretta Outfielder: Braden Hall, Huron RIVER DIVISION Most Outstanding Performer: Logan Ritzler, Calvert FIRST TEAM Pitchers: Logan Ritzler, Calvert; Keil Almroth, Woodmore; Chuy Rodriguez, Gibsonburg Catchers: Connor Moyer, Calvert; Kellen Frankart, Hopewell-Loudon Infielders: Charlie Palm, Calvert; Cameron Moyer, Calvert; Reece Walby, Gibsonburg; Blake Finneran, SMCC; Calvin Lipstraw, Woodmore; Brody Brickman, Hopewell-Loudon; Logan Shepherd, Danbury; Alec Hohman, New Riegel; Austin Smith, Hopewell-Loudon Outfielders: AJ Shoemaker, Calvert; Cayden Wikel, SMCC; Vincenzo Lyons, Calvert; Jack Colatruglio, Hopewell-Loudon, Michael Seeger, Woodmore; Hunter Sweeney, Lakota SECOND TEAM Pitchers: Jack Widman, Lakota; Toby Gibson, SMCC; Gabe Pugh, New Riegel Catchers: Cole Potridge, Woodmore; Grant Swain, SMCC Infielders: Jacob Hines, Lakota; Cullen Dillard, SMCC; Caiden Swecker, Old Fort; Jacoby Ellis, Hopewell-Loudon, Zach Ohms, SJCC; Branyan Coleman, Calvert; Tommy Dean, Danbury Outfielders: Tucker Coleman, Calvert; Miles McDonald, Danbury; Sam Lawrence, SMCC; Grant Scherger, Lakota HONORABLE MENTION Pitchers: Luke Jenkins, SJCC; Cohen Stull, Calvert Catchers: Evan Sandvick, Danbury; Andrew Tackett, Old Fort Infielders: Andrew Spieldenner, SJCC; Logan Lucas, Danbury Outfielders: Aiden Morant, Gibsonburg; Brett Reichow, Northwood